Forget Fisheye: A Photo Lens to Steer Robots

A lens developed by South Korean researchers offers a wide-angle view without fisheye distortion, perfect for ceiling-mounted security cameras. The lens has a 151-degree field of view, slightly short of the theoretical limit of 180 degrees for fisheye lenses. The camera itself, which protrudes from the lens structure, shows up as a small circle in the center of the image (above). Unlike images produced by fisheye lenses, straight lines appear straight. The new design is "catadioptric," meaning it combines a reflective lens with a refractive lens to produce the image. Researchers hope to use the relatively distortion-free technology to help robots navigate through buildings. The lens is available for around $105 from a South Korean startup company called Nanophotonics.